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New Master Dogen Movie

Hi,

Please keep an eye out for the new bio-movie on Master Dogen ... titled "ZEN" ...

Probably only available in Japanese for awhile, but looks pretty good (as such movies go). The preview below is chock full of Dogen-isms that you'all should be familiar with from hanging around here at Treeleaf ...

... such as "Things Just As They Are (ari-ga-mama)" and "Zazen is not about Satori, Zazen is just to sit!" ...

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

I already really like the dialogue... hard to say if it will show up state side, atleast within the next year or so at best, though I have half a mind to buy it from japan and just do the sub on it myself so the family can see it and understand

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

well it's not ALL Anime.....though that is a huge chunk >.> but historical movies do just as well there as here

I just pay more attention to the anime-manga side of the marketing as that is where I make my living...but even then the more aspects of tradition you can sneak into it, be it the use of kami's or having the wold be a modern mirror of the edo period socially it does well.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Interesting
I will see this when its released and able to be picked up on DVD.

I was wondering, I picked up a new copy of "Zen Noir" a while back and watched it a several times through (once trough with audio commentary on, the director and Brad Warner were discussing the scenes as they play and I found it quite entertaining), I was going to post that if anyone here would like to watch it id be willing to send it to them, postage paid so long as they would do the same, if asked. Of course id think it wise to purchase it if you really like it. (btw if this is some sort of legal infringement then I do apologize and just disregard). Just wanted to pass it on if some was interested rather than it gathering dust.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Hello from the Balcony ...

I was finally able to see the movie ... and (though Master Dogen advises during the film that we best drop all thought of "good" and "bad") ... the movie was GOOD!! (especially for a religiously themed bio flick. Of course, it helps to already be a Big Dogen Zenji fan!)

It really has some scenes that, for me, were worth the price of admission. For example, it had the famous lines in which Dogen is asked, after he returns to Japan, what insight he gained in China (and had his "enlightenment" and such) ... he said, "I have come back empty-handed. I have realized only that the eyes are horizontal and the nose is vertical."

It also has a few wonderful scenes in which Dogen, after his so-called "Enlightenment",sheds tears when encountering sadness, like the death of a small child. That's actually a big deal scene, because a lot of Buddhists might think that someone so-called "fully enlightened" should not be crying and feeling tragedy, and would be beyond all such emotions (that is a most common belief in many schools of Buddhism). In fact, Dogen taught that the human heart is right at the heart of the matter!

Okay, there were a couple of cheezy scenes that I put down to the filmmaker's imagination, like the psychodelic animation used to show his moment of "Satori" ... he flies into the sky on an anime pink lotus flower. Hmmm.

But, that was compensated for by the rest of the film, which brought Dogen back down to earth. He spends most of the film teaching such things as "Things Just As They Are (ari-ga-mama)" and "Zazen is not about Satori, Zazen is just to sit!" ... Sound familiar??? :wink:

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Hi,

That sounds really good. It could take years before it's available here, though. No matter.

What I think is really wonderful about it - regardless of whether it is good/bad, cool/corny or whatever - some people will go see it, perhaps just by chance, perhaps out of curiosity, perhaps out of boredom because there was nothing else on and for some of them, not all but for some - their interest in Zen will be sparked. It could be an event which changes their lives, just as a half corny, half cool Shaolin monk demonstration sparked my interest years ago, and that really is a wonderful thing.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Kabuki performer Nakamura Kantaro introduces film 'Zen' in New York

Wednesday 18th March, 11:00 PM JST

NEW YORK —

Kabuki performer and actor Nakamura Kantaro introduced his film, “Zen,” Tuesday in front of a packed crowd at a theater where the movie made its first and only New York showing. “‘Zen’ is a very subtle movie,” Nakamura told audience members. “In the days where we are going for easy entertainment, I was wondering whether people would come and see the film.”

The movie is the 27-year-old’s second film and first debut in a starring role as Dogen, a 13th century Buddhist monk who went to China to study Buddhism before returning to Japan. Nakamura’s family lineage in Kabuki dates back to the 17th century but he has ventured out to act in Japanese television dramas over the years. In his only U.S. visit to promote the film, the Tuesday screening was Nakamura’s first return to New York City since 2007, when joined his father’s Kabuki troupe, Heisei Nakamura-za.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

I'd really love to see a Warhol-esque piece where Dogen is just sitting zazen for eight hours of film. No cuts, no breaks, no differences in camera angle.The action-packed climax? When he gets up to do kinhin.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Originally Posted by Mountaintop Rebel

I'd really love to see a Warhol-esque piece where Dogen is just sitting zazen for eight hours of film. No cuts, no breaks, no differences in camera angle.The action-packed climax? When he gets up to do kinhin.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Looks like this movie is showing up in some odd places…I did a search, trying to find a site with US showings, and found that today (March, 20th) it will be shown at Western Michigan University in Kalamazoo…a bit far for me to travel, but if anyone is interested see link below.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Originally Posted by chicanobudista

Originally Posted by Mountaintop Rebel

I'd really love to see a Warhol-esque piece where Dogen is just sitting zazen for eight hours of film. No cuts, no breaks, no differences in camera angle.The action-packed climax? When he gets up to do kinhin.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Sorry. Maybe this will get into spoiler territory. But. On the trailer, Dogen seems to be defending a young woman in the oldest career (seems, like I sez). What's that part of the plot?? :?:

He's defending a woman in the oldest career. He later refuses to let her enter the monastery as a nun (Eiheiji was a boys club), but relents just prior to his death and makes sure she is ordained in some way (although not at Eiheiji).

As to "reviews" of the movie in Japan, I have never seen any magazine or newspaper publish a western style "bad" review here of any movie ever. The magazines are not independent from the advertisers and movie companies here. However, I thought it was a pretty good flick, for a religious biographic.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Hi all,
I was able to get a DVD copy of this movie here in Japan yesterday. It has English subtitles available. It's basically a good movie, despite some pretty ham acting and cheesy depictions of moments of enlightment, dharma transmission etc.

I'm not sure of it's on Amazon just yet and how the regions work out between Japan and the US, but I'm sure people in a different DVD region could simply watch it on their computer. I certainly enjoyed it, as did my wife. It is a bit laden with sentimentality and Dogen spents a lot of time with tears in his eyes, which surprised me a bit, but the core elements of teachings are laid out and it is an inspiring film after all.

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Sounds really interesting. Any other sources where one living in the EU might order? Also, are the DVD releases different in those places or do they all carry the same disks? Things like movie length, a/v quality, possible region code locking, ntsc/pal etc. - you know, the usual business with importing foreign movies?

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

I loved the movie... its not dubed, or even subed. so I had to struggle abit to put what I understood together.. I can't think much bad of the effects as mentioned...I mean, I see things like machine girl, yokai war etc... so in comparison they were pretty decently planned out. :P

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Hi All,

A seller that other Zen teachers are saying is reputable (I, however, have no personal experience with them) appears to be taking pre-orders for an "all region" "Zen" Life of Master Dogen Movie DVD for ...

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Originally Posted by Jundo

A seller that other Zen teachers are saying is reputable (I, however, have no personal experience with them) appears to be taking pre-orders for an "all region" "Zen" Life of Master Dogen Movie DVD for ...

So, did you get it? Has anyone else outside US bought one from Kimook and did it work alright? I just tried to order one, but for some obscure reason it doesn't accept my order. I get to the Order confirmation page and when I press continue from there it jumps back to Payment information and tells me to make sure the name and payment information match. They do. Same happens with a friend when he tried to order it for me (he has a different sort of credit card). I guess I'll cross Kimook off from my list of places-to-buy-from and get back to CDJapan (at least I know it works, have ordered from there before).

Re: New Master Dogen Movie

Originally Posted by Mika

Originally Posted by Jundo

A seller that other Zen teachers are saying is reputable (I, however, have no personal experience with them) appears to be taking pre-orders for an "all region" "Zen" Life of Master Dogen Movie DVD for ...

So, did you get it? Has anyone else outside US bought one from Kimook and did it work alright? I just tried to order one, but for some obscure reason it doesn't accept my order. I get to the Order confirmation page and when I press continue from there it jumps back to Payment information and tells me to make sure the name and payment information match. They do. Same happens with a friend when he tried to order it for me (he has a different sort of credit card). I guess I'll cross Kimook off from my list of places-to-buy-from and get back to CDJapan (at least I know it works, have ordered from there before).

Hi Mika!
I bought a copy from kimook.com just about a month ago and received it a week after. The site had some hiccups on me. but it took eventually. Not the most high end user experience but ive figured from the email confirmations its a small 1 or 2 person company and they are using a canned shopping card system. Any special characters used in your name or information? Anywho I STILL haven't been able to watch it as my ps2 aka dvd player doesn't like it and my computer is always occupied. Im going to have to wait until the middle of the night under some covers to watch it